NEW DELHI, Feb 16:
Voicing concern over frequent disruptions in Parliament and state legislatures, President Pranab Mukherjee today said these “aberrations” are over minor issues which can be resolved.
Noting that disruptions in Parliament were becoming a trend, Mukherjee said, “This is seen not only in the federal legislature but also in state legislatures.”
Delivering the first N K P Salve Memorial Lecture here, the President said he has even tried to look at the “remedy” for these disruptions and in the process realised that most of the time the point of contention is under which rule of Parliament the discussion on an issue should be held.
He said on most occasions the Leader of the Opposition in either House of Parliament objects on this ground.
Mukherjee’s comments today come against the background of frequent forcing of adjournments by the Opposition in Parliament in the last few months.
“To my mind it is not very difficult to find a solution to this problem,” he said.
Mukherjee, who was Leader of the Lok Sabha before becoming President, had often taken the lead in the past on behalf of the government to resolve such deadlocks.
He pointed out that it was not contemplated by the makers of the Constitution that such frequent disruptions would become a “trend” in Parliament.
“This aberration should be corrected,” Mukherjee said, adding that due to disruptions even the powers of discussing the monetary and financial matters which are vested in the Lok Sabha are not utilised fully.
Recalling that the earlier Parliaments had discussed at length the Five Year Plans, Mukherjee said, “I do not remember that the Eighth, Ninth and Tenth Plans were discussed on the floor of the House.”
Emphasising on the need for having serious discussions in Parliament on financial issues, Mukherjee said the House need not wait for a CAG report on an issue to point out the faults and only then discuss the matter.
He said the CAG’s role arises only when there are aberrations in financial matters.
Mukherjee also underlined the need for more social justice in our society, particularly on issues of gender justice.
The President recalled N K P Salve’s contribution to Parliament both as a member of the Lok Sabha and later in the Rajya Sabha. He made a special mention of Salve’s initiative in 1978 in suggesting that the Commission of Inquiry Act, 1952 be amended or the matter referred to Committee of the House to sort out some contentious issues. (PTI)
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